Blessings by Laura Story

I have a confession to make.  I was only ever in HOPE for the wrong reason.  Did I want people to worship God as a result of me waving my hands around in semi-sign language?  Sure.  But mostly I just wanted to hang out with my friends an extra hour every Sunday afternoon.

So when I graduated from high school, and therefore HOPE, I never really wanted to reunite and perform again.  Earlier this summer, there was a HOPE-graduate weekend trip, but I didn't much want to go (and also couldn't, so). 

Then Pam asked me to help with this new song, "Blessings" by Laura Story.  She wanted Lindsay, Ashley, and I to do it, and I was trying to think of a polite way to say no.  My plans were foiled when she had me listen to the song, which completely blew me away.  Added to that were the signs she'd picked, and my word, I was sold.  There's a bit near the end that says, "This is not, this is not our home."  And we switch from signing "Earth" and gesturing down to making the sign for heaven.  Only powerful if you know what the signs mean, but as I do....I was verklempt. 

We performed this Sunday, and I hope everyone else got the awesomeness.  I've been learning a lot about trials and how following God is likely to lead to more pain rather than less--but that we should rejoice in that pain, because it is through the awfulness that we rely on God and learn about Him and love Him more deeply.

"What if my greatest disappointments and the achings of this life are the revealing of a greater thirst this world can't satisfy?"